The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-24
TRAINING OF CHILDREN.
How They May be Taught Habits of Helm
fulness and Industry

Iulhess and Industry
Children may be trained from an early
age to habits of helpfulne5s and so save
tired mothers many weary minutes and
impatient words. Do not let them get.
into the way of thinking there is moth
ing for them to do. There is no reason
why the little ones should not be ex-
pected to contribute their part in making
home comfortable and pleasant, instead
OF introducing an element of discord
and disturbance by turning every thing
topsy-turvy and never putting to rights
again. Do not allow them to leave
apple-cores and nutshells lying around,
or any litter where they have been cut
ting paper or doll-clothes. See that they
put away books, papers, toys or sewing
in the proper places when done with
them, Teach them to take care of
Things accidentally misplaced. l have
seen children actually stumble over and
tread upon valuable papers and en-
cravings which had fallen from a
table rather than stoop to pick them
up, just because they had not been
taught to be useful in doing little things
like these. They can be taught to
put away hats, coats and mittens when
| they come in from school, to hang up
their clothes at night, and not let them
lie in heaps on the floor to the detri-
ment of their good looks, and so as not
to set the whole house in uproar the
next morning by calling out, one for a
lost shoe or stocking, another for Jacket
or trousers, while still third slams the
door behind her at the last minute in a
passion of sObs and tears, after search
ing the house over for missing books or
pencils, hat or gloves.
All this could be prevented by firm,
yet gentle training on the part of the
mother, not by scolding or nagging.
Let her debar the children from the
privilege of playing or working with
certain things because last time they
were not properly cared for; let them
feel their inconvenience of doing with
out thing at the last minute, of miss
ing pleasant visit Or party because Of
something left undone
When girls grow older they can be
taught to set the table neatly and COM
pletely, not forgetting necessary de.
tails, so as to avoid the unpleasant
necessity for jumping up from the table
every few minutes for spoons, salt, oil
to replenish the sugar-bowl. They
should be taught to place the requisite
number Of chairs around the table, and
so prevent the unseemly scramble after
chairs when the family are summoned
to the meal.
Boys should be trained to close the
shutters, bring in coal and water, put
away their clothes and not to look on
while they see their mothers and sisters
do these things. Indeed, l have seen
young gentlemen of sixteen loll on the
sofa and look quite unconcernedly out
of the door or window at their mother
or sister chopping wood.
Parents are clearly to blame for in
dulging children in these habits. In
deed, they are not really indulgent to
ward the children; they are INDUCING
themselves, for it is so much easier tC
do the work oneself than to be patient
and firm with children while training
them to habits of industry, patience anc
self-control. But, if children are SC
trained, they will be more self-reliant
when the harder realities of life present
themselves. More agreeable, too, be
cause less selfish and more inclined tC
lend helping hand to others -Ma13
EdaUarCiS. IN PhitadelphiG Press.